I messed up

Nathan’s P.O.V.

“Ms. Cynthia William is from a moderate family, basically from Texas. She has an elder brother who is married and has kids. Ms. Williams graduated from Texas University, majoring in business administration and finance. She…. she never went out of the country.” Chris briefed the information that he got on Cynthia.

I listened to him while reading. I frowned because her whole life was explained there, and there was no glitch that could support my belief that Cynthia Williams is my wife, Cynthia Lombart.

“But seven years ago, she was in an accident and was in a coma for more than eight months,” he suddenly added, and my ears immediately perked up.

“When?” I asked him hurriedly and skipped a few pages. He also came forward and took the file from me.

He immediately reached that page and put the file back in front of me. All this time, my heart was now thudding hard in my chest in anticipation.

I read the report with all my concentration, trying to find any glitch or loop that could give me hope that the woman in front of me now was my wife.

To my dismay, there was nothing that could connect both incidents.

Cynthia Williams was in a car accident three months earlier than my wife’s accident. We were in North Virginia when my wife got in that accident and disappeared.

Cynthia Williams was always in Texas and never went out of the city. She was already in a coma when my wife disappeared.

Both the cities are far enough from each other, erasing any accidental chance for both Cynthias to meet each other.

The hope that I had in my heart from last night diminished at a very painful pace.

“I am sorry, Mr. Lombart.” Chris mumbled in a low voice.

“Don’t be, Chris. It’s my own doing that I lost her.” I replied to him, but it sounded more like comforting myself.

Still, I couldn’t deny that I felt a pull towards Cynthia Williams, but there is no way that I would be going to show my interest towards her.

My wife had been missing for six years, but she was still the only woman with whom I wanted to spend my whole life.

“Keep investigating my wife’s case, and don’t investigate Cynthia Williams anymore.” I instructed him with resignation evident in my voice and closed Cynthia’s file at the end.

“We can run a DNA test if we have Mrs. Lombart’s blood sample or that can be used for the test,” Chris suggested, still optimistic about the situation.

I smiled bitterly and looked at him.

“I got this, Chris. Her initial photos really made her appear like my wife, but she clearly is not.” I replied to him and felt sympathy towards him when his eyes dimmed.

“Let’s get back to work. We have plenty of work to finish before retiring for the day,” I added and pulled my laptop towards me again.

“Yes, Mr. Lombart. The next meeting is in an hour. I will come back to call you.” He told me and I just dismissed him with a casual wave, my eyes glued on the screen.

I sighed and moved my chair’s direction towards the floor-to-ceiling window behind me as soon as he closed the door after exiting the room.

“Where are you, love? It has been six years since you left me. Come back now,” I whispered to myself while looking at the barren sky outside.

It was a sunny day, but even the bright sunlight couldn’t erase the darkness in my life.

Chris’s idea of running a DNA test was good, but I couldn’t do that because I never paid attention to Cynthia and her health when she was alive.

She was not orphan but her parents died during a landslide when they were on vacation in a mountain area. She was only 17.

When we married, I was newly appointed CEO of my company and was struggling hard to keep my position.

Moreover, because of Nancy, I was cold towards my wife, who did nothing wrong to me.

So, I never paid attention to her personal life.

I didn’t know anything about her relatives or her friends.

So, how am I supposed to get anything that can help with DNA test?

“What a husband I was?” I mocked myself while remembering those days when she tried to open herself to me, trying hard to give our relationship a chance.

And what did I do…?

I scolded her for being clingy. I warned her to stay in her limits.

What limits????

I also didn’t know, but I wanted her to stay away from my life, because I was afraid of another heartbreak.

That child….

Our child…

What did I call him?????

A drunken mistake…

I closed my eyes when I felt tears in my eyes. I was nothing but an a**hole to her.

I couldn’t tell her that at some point, I started noticing her around me.

At some point, I started liking her constant naggings and those noisy messages of hers.

Our first night…

That wasn’t a drunken mistake…

I wanted her, but after what Nancy did to me…

I was afraid to admit that I fell for Cynthia. I was afraid that, just like Nancy, she would also take advantage of my love for her and would leave me for something.

Cynthia didn’t know how many times I slapped myself after locking myself in my study for being rude and a jerk to her whenever I scolded her for staying away from me when all I wanted to do was to embrace her and tell her that I love her too.

I sighed and looked at the intercom when it started beeping.

“Yes, Chris?” I asked him calmly after taking his call.

“Ms. Winters is requesting a meeting, Mr. Lombart.” He told me formally.

“Do I have any free time in today’s schedule, Chris?” I asked him calmly, moving my face towards the desk again.

“No, Mr. Lombart. Your today’s schedule is completely packed. You even have a lunch meeting and a dinner meeting today, and yes, a brunch meeting with Fashion Fiesta’s CEO around three.” He almost sang my schedule in a very formal way.

It meant that Nancy was standing in front of him.

“Then you know very well what to answer her, Chris, and please don’t bother me with her matters. If she has anything to discuss, ask her to tell her manager to make an appointment with me.” I instructed him nonchalantly, opening a mail that I received from Mr. Silva.